Volunteers represent kids through Guardian ad Litem program

Meryl Trahant has been a Guardian ad Litem volunteer since 2009. "I take a lot of cases that others don't want or understand," Trahant said Wednesday afternoon at her home in The Villages. She shows off some of the plates designed by the children in her cases over the years.

Published: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 at 6:01 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 at 6:01 p.m.

Next week will be a good week for the 5th Judicial Circuit Guardian ad Litem program.

Facts

If you want to volunteer

A volunteer training for the Guardian ad Litem program will start Monday. If you are interested, contact Lynn Sennett at lynn.sennett@gal.fl.gov

The Marion County staffers will move back into their North Magnolia Avenue office after a roofing repair caused an air quality issue that made the place uninhabitable for about two months.

Also, on Monday, the staff will welcome a new round of soon-to-be guardians during a four-day training program.

What could make their week better? More volunteers.

“We are looking for people who are persons of conviction,” said Marcia Hilty, circuit director of the Guardian ad Litem for the 5th Judicial Circuit. Ideal candidates are those who possess communication skills, stability, and a passion for children and the common good.

Guardians are appointed by the court to represent children — from infants to age 19 — who are in abusive or neglectful family situations.

The guardians' sole concern is the best interest of the child.

“We're like a net. We don't want them to slip through the cracks,” said Lynn Sennett, volunteer recruiter for the circuit's program. On Monday, the program will hold a four-day training session at the Ocala Police Department that will cover an array of topics including an introduction into the child welfare and judicial systems, actions constituting abuse, child growth and development, educational advocacy and the role a Guardian ad Litem volunteer plays in the system.

There are currently more than 40 participants scheduled to start training on Monday, but Hilty is still looking for more.

According to the Florida Guardian ad Litem program, there are 1,389 children in the 5th Judicial Circuit — comprised of Marion, Hernando, Lake, Sumter and Citrus counties — who have been removed from their homes because of alleged abuse, abandonment or neglect and are currently part of a dependency court proceeding.

There are currently 605 guardians in the five counties assigned to those cases.

“It's frustrating, challenging and heartbreaking, and at the same time it's one of the most rewarding experiences you'll ever have,” Hilty said.

In Marion County, there are 505 children assigned to 218 guardians.

Meryl Trahant is one of those guardians. Since joining the program in February 2009, she has advocated for more than 100 children. In addition to advocacy, part of her job is to form a relationship with the child so he or she feels comfortable confiding in her.

She even admits to taking 16- or 17-year-olds to the movies and the zoo — sometimes for the first time ever in the child's life.

Her home is a testament to her work: It's filled with more than 20 plastic plates, each one decorated by a different child she has advocated for over the years. Often the younger children spelled her name wrong, or even the word “guardian,” but recalling the mistakes brings a smile to her face when talking to an interested stranger.

“It's unbelievably rewarding and humbling,” she said, standing outside a Marion County courtroom before a hearing for a 17-year-old girl she represents.

During that hearing, the case's progress was disclosed before a magistrate and concluded with the guardian being dismissed from the case. Trahant's work there was finished.

But guardians will sometime still maintain contact with the children, if allowed.

“Many of them have not been exposed to consistent, stable adults and therefore they welcome the attention and the guidance and the support,” Hilty said.

Wanda Vogler, a guardian who lives in The Villages, is planning to travel to Cocoa Beach in a few months to watch a child she advocated for play football. This is long after her official services were needed.

She was assigned to the boy's case when he was 6 and followed him though age 13 — a constant presence while the boy cycled through 11 case workers, three attorneys, two schools and several different living situations.

Vogler decided to volunteer in 2005 after moving to Florida. She was looking for something to become involved in. “How many times can you mahjong and line dance?” she quipped.

“I had a friend ask me one time how can I stand all that negativity, and I guess I don't look at it that way,” Vogler said.

Although the average age of Hilty's volunteers is 63, she hopes to attract more younger — and male — volunteers. She encourages even those with full-time jobs to apply, because guardians generally only need to be in court about four times a year for a case and the rest of the work can be coordinated around their schedule.

Guardians can take as many or as few cases as they want, and it's estimated the program takes about 10 hours a month from their schedule.

“For me, it's the most rewarding thing I've ever done,” Vogler said. “I often feel I get more out of it than I give.”

<p>Next week will be a good week for the 5th Judicial Circuit Guardian ad Litem program.</p><p>The Marion County staffers will move back into their North Magnolia Avenue office after a roofing repair caused an air quality issue that made the place uninhabitable for about two months.</p><p>Also, on Monday, the staff will welcome a new round of soon-to-be guardians during a four-day training program.</p><p>What could make their week better? More volunteers.</p><p>“We are looking for people who are persons of conviction,” said Marcia Hilty, circuit director of the Guardian ad Litem for the 5th Judicial Circuit. Ideal candidates are those who possess communication skills, stability, and a passion for children and the common good.</p><p>Guardians are appointed by the court to represent children — from infants to age 19 — who are in abusive or neglectful family situations.</p><p>The guardians' sole concern is the best interest of the child.</p><p>“We're like a net. We don't want them to slip through the cracks,” said Lynn Sennett, volunteer recruiter for the circuit's program. On Monday, the program will hold a four-day training session at the Ocala Police Department that will cover an array of topics including an introduction into the child welfare and judicial systems, actions constituting abuse, child growth and development, educational advocacy and the role a Guardian ad Litem volunteer plays in the system.</p><p>There are currently more than 40 participants scheduled to start training on Monday, but Hilty is still looking for more.</p><p>According to the Florida Guardian ad Litem program, there are 1,389 children in the 5th Judicial Circuit — comprised of Marion, Hernando, Lake, Sumter and Citrus counties — who have been removed from their homes because of alleged abuse, abandonment or neglect and are currently part of a dependency court proceeding.</p><p>There are currently 605 guardians in the five counties assigned to those cases.</p><p>“It's frustrating, challenging and heartbreaking, and at the same time it's one of the most rewarding experiences you'll ever have,” Hilty said.</p><p>In Marion County, there are 505 children assigned to 218 guardians.</p><p>Meryl Trahant is one of those guardians. Since joining the program in February 2009, she has advocated for more than 100 children. In addition to advocacy, part of her job is to form a relationship with the child so he or she feels comfortable confiding in her.</p><p>She even admits to taking 16- or 17-year-olds to the movies and the zoo — sometimes for the first time ever in the child's life.</p><p>Her home is a testament to her work: It's filled with more than 20 plastic plates, each one decorated by a different child she has advocated for over the years. Often the younger children spelled her name wrong, or even the word “guardian,” but recalling the mistakes brings a smile to her face when talking to an interested stranger.</p><p>“It's unbelievably rewarding and humbling,” she said, standing outside a Marion County courtroom before a hearing for a 17-year-old girl she represents.</p><p>During that hearing, the case's progress was disclosed before a magistrate and concluded with the guardian being dismissed from the case. Trahant's work there was finished.</p><p>But guardians will sometime still maintain contact with the children, if allowed.</p><p>“Many of them have not been exposed to consistent, stable adults and therefore they welcome the attention and the guidance and the support,” Hilty said.</p><p>Wanda Vogler, a guardian who lives in The Villages, is planning to travel to Cocoa Beach in a few months to watch a child she advocated for play football. This is long after her official services were needed.</p><p>She was assigned to the boy's case when he was 6 and followed him though age 13 — a constant presence while the boy cycled through 11 case workers, three attorneys, two schools and several different living situations.</p><p>Vogler decided to volunteer in 2005 after moving to Florida. She was looking for something to become involved in. “How many times can you mahjong and line dance?” she quipped.</p><p>“I had a friend ask me one time how can I stand all that negativity, and I guess I don't look at it that way,” Vogler said.</p><p>Although the average age of Hilty's volunteers is 63, she hopes to attract more younger — and male — volunteers. She encourages even those with full-time jobs to apply, because guardians generally only need to be in court about four times a year for a case and the rest of the work can be coordinated around their schedule.</p><p>Guardians can take as many or as few cases as they want, and it's estimated the program takes about 10 hours a month from their schedule.</p><p>“For me, it's the most rewarding thing I've ever done,” Vogler said. “I often feel I get more out of it than I give.”</p><p><i>April Warren can be reached at 867-4065 or april.warren@ocala.com</i></p>